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Dear Friend,
I hope you had a great Fourth of July! Please stay safe and well as we start to enjoy the beautiful summer days. I’m sharing some exciting updates and announcements from my office:
- Mayor Signs Healthcare Price Transparency Bill
- City Budget Victories for East Side
- Smart Composting Bins
- Combating Retail Theft
- Pride March
- Curb Your Dog Signs Available
- DOT Bike Helmet Fitting
- District 05 Graduations
- Small Business Committee Hearing
- Constituent Services Corner
- Community Updates
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1. Mayor Signs Healthcare Bill
I’m thrilled to announce that my bill, The Healthcare Accountability and Consumer Protection Act, was signed into law by Mayor Eric Adams on June 23rd, 2023. As AMNY reported, I joined Mayor Adams along with labor leaders and advocates, including the rapper Fat Joe, for a ceremony in the City Hall rotunda. The law will establish a municipal Office of Healthcare Accountability and make New York City the first city in the nation to have such an office. As I’ve mentioned before, the creation of this office will have significant fiscal benefits for New York City while also empowering consumers. There’s no industry where you procure a service and have no idea what the price will be in advance of procuring it. In addition to this consumer protection, this could help the City save up to $2 billion annually on healthcare costs for municipal employees. The city already spends around $11 billion, or 10 percent of its budget, on healthcare costs, and with this legislation the City can harness its purchasing power to drive costs down. I joined Henry Rosoff on Channel 11’s Pix on Politics last weekend to discuss the bill, you can view the segment here.
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2. City Budget Agreement
Last week, the Council approved the passage of the City's fiscal year 2024 budget. I appreciate the work that Speaker Adams and the Council's Budget Negotiation Team did handling the arduous task of negotiating this budget given the difficult fiscal headwinds our City faces. While this is not a perfect budget, we were able to avoid cuts that would have decimated funding to important areas such as early childhood education, libraries, and CUNY. This upcoming budget includes much needed investments for students, seniors, and hardworking New Yorkers across the City. I am thrilled to announce that the Budget also brought back significant investments to our community. As Patch reported, Council Member Powers and I secured $35 million in funding for the East Side. These investments will bolster our schools, parks, and community organizations. A few highlights include $2.78 million to renovate the hockey/basketball area in Carl Schurz Park, $2.2 million for upgrades to the playground at 24 Sycamores Park, and $1.03 million for security cameras and an auditorium upgrade at PS198/Lower Lab. Additionally, every school in the District is receiving at least $50,000 for critical upgrades. I look forward to working with agencies as we begin many of these much-needed capital projects.
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3. Smart Composting Bins
One of the most frequent requests my office receives is to expand the accessibility of composting options in our neighborhood. Previously, we had just a handful of dropoff sites that operated on a weekly basis. I’m ecstatic to announce that, As Our Town Reported, in collaboration with the New York City Department of Sanitation, the City has installed over 20 “Smart” composting Bins across the Upper East Side. I have been a strong advocate for “Smart” composting bins in our District and wrote to DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch requesting them just a few weeks prior. These bins are located conveniently throughout our District and are available for composting drop offs 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. With these bins, our district will now have more robust access to composting which is critical to fighting climate change as well as mitigating rodent problems. This is a great first step as we move towards curbside composting next year. These bins look similar to current trash compacting bins, but instead carry an orange paint scheme. If you’re interested in using these bins, a free application called NYC Compost is needed to operate them. You can download them for your Android and iOS phones as well as view the locations of the bins.
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4. Combating Retail Theft
As Chair of the Council’s Small Business Committee, I have been working hard with colleagues to put forth legislation to address the rise in shoplifting across our City that is devastating retail businesses. Recently, I introduced legislation in the Council to create a pilot program to help protect small businesses at risk of high retail thefts. This pilot program would ensure security measures such as security cameras and plexiglass are installed at the request of businesses. This program would especially target areas with high incidences of retail theft. As reported by PIX 11, this is part of a package of legislation which also includes a bill introduced by my colleague, Council Member Althea Stevens, to reimburse businesses for the purchases of panic buttons for employees to alert the NYPD in the case of emergencies. I look forward to working to move these bills through the legislative process as it’s critical that we support businesses facing the devastating effects of rampant retail theft.
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5. Pride March
To celebrate Pride month, my office joined many of my City Council colleagues to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community at the New York City Pride March. At a time when other jurisdictions are passing legislation to restrict the rights of individuals within the LGBTQ+ community, I remain committed to continue to advocate for the values of acceptance, diversity, and equality. New York must be a beacon for hope during this difficult time around our country. The Council as a whole reaffirmed their willingness to be a strong advocate to the LGBTQ+ community and will continue to ensure equality and fairness for all.
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6. Curb Your Dog Signs Available
Recently, I announced our office had chosen a winning design for our curb your dog campaign sign contest. As ABC7 reported, we ordered hundreds of aluminum 12 by 18 inch signs to put up across the District encouraging residents to pick up after their dog. The signs have arrived and we have already distributed dozens to buildings and business owners to put up on their properties. We will also be distributing the design through our Office’s newsletter and will be encouraging community groups to spread the word as well. Our City has not put up curb your dog signs in decades, so we are excited to reinvigorate these efforts. I am thrilled by the overwhelming support my office has received in regards to this initiative. If you'd like to request a metal sign for your building or small business, please reach out to hgale@council.nyc.gov.
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7. DOT Bike Helmet Fitting
One of the most popular events my office sponsored last year was a DOT bike helmet giveaway where we gave away over 1000 helmets to cyclists of all ages in John Jay Park. This year’s event was originally scheduled for May, but due to rainstorms it was postponed and is now being held on Saturday, July 15th from 11:00am to 2:30pm. It is important to reduce the likelihood of sustaining life threatening injuries when riding a bike in case of accidents by using appropriate personal protection. If you’re interested in getting a free bicycle helmet, please join my office at John Jay Park next weekend!
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8. Celebrating Graduations
It’s been an honor to speak at some of the 5th grade graduations across our District this past month. I have enjoyed partnering with students in the community on a variety of different projects. From the impressive civic engagement of 5th graders at Lower Lab helping to win participatory budgeting, to the great community spirit of 5th graders at PS 183 making artwork for a new construction fence on York Ave, there is so much for students across our District to be proud of! It was wonderful to congratulate them on their achievements and wish them luck in their next chapter.
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9. Small Business Committee Hearing
Last week, I chaired the City Council’s Small Business Committee hearing where two of the bills I introduced, Introduction 0263 and Introduction 1103, were heard. The first bill, Intro 0263, will ensure Workforce1 Centers across the City remain a vital resource for New Yorkers looking to find employment or start their own businesses. The bill provides for the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) to produce an annual report evaluating key metrics on the services provided at each location in order to ensure the program is most effectively serving New Yorkers. The second bill, Intro 1103, will prompt the City to share information and advice to small businesses regarding selecting a bank. The Silicon Valley Bank crisis demonstrated how critical it is that small businesses have the right resources and information to make that selection. SBS has expressed support for both bills and I look forward to working with the Speaker and the Administration to move them forward.
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10. Constituent Services Corner
My office has received many constituent complaints about a set of ConEdison barriers that had been left behind by the old Green Kitchen on 77th street and 1st Ave. The barriers and an active ConEd shunt, were blocking the sidewalk and leading to accessibility concerns. After weeks of advocating to ConEd to remove the barriers and shunt, ConEd said they could not remove them without gaining access to the building and requested assistance from our office in getting in touch with the property owner. My office was able to facilitate ConEd’s entry into the basement with the property’s owner assistance so the project could be completed. The shunt and barriers were finally removed this week. I want to thank everyone who reached out to my office on this issue, always feel free to call, email, or visit my office if you need anything.
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11. Community Updates
Summer is here! I want to highlight some upcoming events and announcements by community partners. If you want to feature something in our newsletter, please email JaGarcia@council.nyc.gov
Bike Skills 101: Learn to Ride Kids
Join CIVITAS, Bike New York, and Uptown Grand Central on Saturday, July 8 and Saturday, August 12 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM for their free “Bike Skills 101: Learn to Ride Kids” class. Kids will be able to learn how to balance, pedal, start, stop, and steer a bicycle on a closed-street with experienced instructors. For more information, please visit: https://bikenewyork.enmotive.com/events/register/7-8-2023-bike-skills-101-learn-to-ride-kids-12-00pm-civitas-manhattan
GrowNYC's 94th Street Greenmarket
We’re thrilled to share that GrowNYC's 94th Street Greenmarket will be open this summer every Sunday, starting June 18th to November 19th, from 9AM to 4PM. I invite everyone to enjoy this opportunity to buy fresh, locally-grown vegetables, fruits, and more at this wonderful farmers market. For more information, including details on daily producer attendance, please visit https://www.grownyc.org/greenmarket/manhattan/92nd-street
Sutton Place Parks Conservancy Manhattanhenge
Join the Sutton Place Parks Conservancy on July 12, 2023 -- the night of the Manhattanhenge full sun -- from 6:00pm to 8:30pm in the Sutton Place Parks. The 57th Street entrance to the park is a prime viewing location for the setting sun at 8:20 PM sharp. The event features live music, expert photo tips, yoga and sun salutations and 10-minute chair massages. More details to come, visit https://suttonplaceparks.org/
Classical Theater Shakespeare in Carl Schurz Park
From July 4th to July 9th, the New York Classical Theater will be presenting Shakespeare's Richard III in Carl Schurz Park. The cast includes seven female and gender-fluid performers tackle his rise to power in a story filled with familial manipulation, egregious murder and political deceit. The cast also features Jenna Bainbridge—a disabled actress—as Richard. To RSVP, please visit https://ci.ovationtix.com/35099/production/1161538
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Contact Us
Email us at district5@council.nyc.gov, call our office at 212-860-1950, or visit us at 444 East 75th Street #1B (75th and York Avenue)
Best,
Julie
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